JONNY Wilkinson could set a new world record during this season's RBS 6 Nations Championship - and Welsh points machine Neil Jenkins admits: "He fully deserves it."

JONNY Wilkinson could set a new world record during this season's RBS 6 Nations Championship - and Welsh points machine Neil Jenkins admits: "He fully deserves it."

Wilkinson is closing in on Jenkins' landmark figure of 1090 points for Wales and the British Lions.

The England superstar needs just 62 points to rewrite Test rugby history.

And given that he averages just over 15 points a game for his country, the record might fall when England tackle Scotland or Ireland in March.

Wilkinson could even start the Six Nations in style by becoming the first player to reach 1,000 England points. He is only 18 short of achieving that feat.

Jenkins will be at Twickenham next Saturday in his role as Wales kicking coach, and he has unstinting admiration for England's greatest goalkicker.

He said: "The guy is outstanding.

"I was lucky enough to be involved with him on the 2001 Lions tour to Australia, and his work ethic is huge.

"If he does break my record, he fully deserves it. I have got no issues with that whatsoever.

"Jonny is probably the best - his record speaks for itself. The amount of points he has scored in 65 Tests for England is incredible.

"Yes, he has played in some good sides, but you have still got to score the points and play as well as you can to stay in the team.

"If Jonny does beat the record, he is more than deserving of it. He's one of the best about."

Despite the twin challenge posed by Wasps prospect Danny Cipriani and Sale Sharks fly-half Charlie Hodgson, Wilkinson is expected to retain the England number 10 shirt when Wales target a first Twickenham triumph since 1988.

England head coach Brian Ashton announces his starting line-up tomorrow afternoon, and Jenkins, whose Test debut came against England three years after that last Twickenham success, knows Wilkinson will challenge Wales in so many different areas.

Jenkins added: "He was excellent when he came back last year from his injuries - he really led the team well at the World Cup.

"He is a massive threat to us on the weekend.

"He is a top-class player who scores points for fun, but he knows the game as well. He knows when to kick and when to pass, to do the right things at the right time - he's really key for England.

"He has had a lot of injuries throughout his career, and mentally, he must be as tough as anyone.

"What he has come back from, most people would probably have said 'I've had enough of this, I can't do this any more'.

"But no chance with Jonny. He dug in and kept going, and his desire to get back and be the best must be huge. To be fair to him, he's done exceptionally well.

"Danny is playing very well for Wasps. He has got incredible pace and is a different player to Jonny.

"And Charlie Hodgson has been playing well, too. There are three excellent choices at 10 for England, but I think Jonny will play."

Wales continued preparations under new coach Warren Gatland today, having spent the weekend at their rural training base while England players endured a gruelling round of Guinness Premiership action.

Wales' solitary injury concern is scrum-half Dwayne Peel, whose battle to overcome a shoulder problem could see him make way for Ospreys number nine Mike Phillips.

Areas for selection debate include second row and back row, where the anticipated partnerships are Ospreys pair Alun-Wyn Jones and Ian Evans at lock, with Jonathan Thomas packing down at number eight alongside flankers Ryan Jones and Martyn Williams.

Gatland, who announces the line-up tomorrow, is set to name five Ospreys among his back division - Phillips, fly-half James Hook, centre Gavin Henson, wing Shane Williams and full-back Lee Byrne.

Seasoned campaigner Stephen Jones is poised to miss out at Hook's expense, being named among the replacements, but he underlined the feelgood factor generated by Gatland's arrival.

Jones said: "Things have been very organised and very thorough.

"The structure of the week has been different, with shorter, but more intense, training sessions.

"We have been raising the bar in training, and we have to make sure we continue to do that. I believe we are going in the right direction."